This invention relates to removable covers for cooking vessels and specifically to a strengthened and improved downwardly depending edge for said covers.
In the art of designing cooking vessels, it is desirable to design a cover or lid for a cooking vessel that is both strong and light weight. Accordingly, covers for cooking vessels are generally formed of relatively thin material that has a high strength and rigidity. Examples of such materials are stainless steel and aluminum. It is also well known in the art that forming complex shapes or curves into the cover of a cooking vessel will make the cover stronger and more rigid. These complex shapes or curves may also make the cover for a cooking vessel more aesthetically pleasing.
One drawback to the use of relatively thin materials in a cover for cooking vessels is that a downwardly depending edge of the cover may become dented or otherwise deformed. These deformations occur as the result of normal use and as the result of accidents, such as dropping the cover on the floor. However, the maintenance of the shape of a downwardly depending edge of a cover is critical to the proper mating of the cover with a corresponding cooking vessel. If the edge becomes deformed the performance of the cooking vessel is reduced. One objective of the design of the present invention is to provide a strengthened edge for the cover of a cooking vessel. Another object of this invention is to provide a cover for a cooking vessel that is both strong and not susceptible to the build-up of volatile food substances. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for fabricating such a cover for a cooking vessel.